Parolee in Middle Sackville shooting still a risk — board

Shooting victim Mike Patriquen is shown at his Middle Sackville home June 19, 2012. Sergio Robinson Bowers, 25, one of men convicted in the crime, is coming up for statutory release. (TIM KROCHAK / Staff/ File)

A Lower Sackville man who arranged a November 2008 shooting that paralyzed his former friend has been ordered to live in a halfway house after his upcoming statutory release.

The Parole Board of Canada reviewed the file of Sergio Robinson Bowers, 25, and said he presents an undue risk to society.

At the time of the shooting that injured Michael Patriquen of Middle Sackville, Bowers was well known to police and had gang affiliations, said board documents released Monday.

Bowers had been out on full parole before but was arrested in Calgary in July 2013 after he failed to provide a transit ticket on a rail platform. He dropped a knife during a struggle and was found to be carrying heroin, cocaine, a weigh scale and ammunition.

He later said he trafficked in drugs because he was unable to live on his salary.

The board said Bowers required a more structured and monitored release. However, he will be able to seek overnight releases.

Unless changes are made to his conditions, Bowers will stay at the unidentified halfway house until the warrant expiry date of his sentence, which is next June 13.

On the night of the shooting, an angry and intoxicated Bowers called Mykel Smith of North Preston, then 17, and told him to bring a gun to Patriquen’s house.

Smith shot Patriquen in the chest and the pair fled with some of the victim’s jewelry.

Smith was found guilty of attempted murder, robbery and other offences. He was sentenced as an adult and received 14 years.